February 10, 2012

GENERATION FLUX

Fast Company recently published an article about America's new thriving class of employees, Generation Flux--pioneers in the new way business is being conducted. The intriguing report not only explains why these mavens are who they are, it also breaks down the systematic changes occurring in the outdated workforce by describing ideas like: which competitive advantages have staying power, what skills matter most, and how can you weigh risk and opportunity when the fundamentals of your business may change overnight? Check out the entire piece here and arm yourself. Knowledge is more than power in this volatile frontier. It's essential!

Our institutions are out of date; the long career is dead; any quest for solid rules is pointless, since we will be constantly rethinking them; you can't rely on an established business model or a corporate ladder to point your way; silos between industries are breaking down; anything settled is vulnerable.

Flux

Flux2

February 09, 2012

CHINESE POLICE VALENTINE

Reports say that a site full of bachelor policemen has become the most popular Weibo microblog in China. More than 2000 fans follow the online initiative started by Wuhou public security bureau in the province of Chengdu of Sichuan. The goal is to help single officers that work long hours that prevent a normal social life, find dates. Who wants a handsome, employed, gun-toting Valentine?

Police3

Police2

Police

February 06, 2012

PORN IS GOING .XXX

Perhaps some of you may know this by now, but online pornography is slated for a domain change. The new end address will be .XXX as opposed to the normal "dot com." After much debate, cases for and against the change do agree on one thing, the new extension will make it easier to identify and, when needed, filter adult content. Then there's the whole matter of informing folks about the change. Enter ad agency, M&C Saatchi, with their creative rendition of a "Porn Is Moving To .XXX" campaign. Cheeky and a wee bit controversial, to say the least!

Move

Move2

February 03, 2012

YOU CAN'T DO THIS ON TWITTER

Twitter is in the spotlight because of its new and controversial per-country blocking system--the power for governments to censor and withhold public tweets that violate local laws. Although the specifics are a bit murky, according to Foreign Policy magazine, here are 5 things that you can't/shouldn't do on Twitter in the United States, for they can lead to some serious legal trouble: Cyberbullying, pranking police, coordinating unlawful behavior, threatening violence and not removing tweets by request. Check out the full implications of each here and stay out of Twitter trouble!

Twitter

QUESTION BRIDGE

The Question Bridge is a transmedia art project that seeks to represent and redefine Black male identity in America. Through video mediated question and answer exchange, diverse members of this "demographic" bridge economic, political, geographic, and generational divisions. The project is in full swing and expanding into a a travelling series, educational curriculum and even a smartphone app! Have a look at their introductory video to see how it all works:

Questionbridge

Anyone in the New York City area this weekend should head on over to the Brooklyn Museum's: Target First Saturdays event. As part of their Black Males Defying Stereotypes theme, the creative team behind Question Bridge will be available to discuss their work. Stop by!

Brooklyn Museum
200 Eastern Parkway
Brooklyn, New York 11238-6052

February 02, 2012

PENGUIN GOES DIGITAL-ONLY

Book publisher, Penguin, is setting its sights on the digital-only market with their new Penguin Shorts programme. The premise of the move is to focus on short reads that'll be available for $1.99 USD a pop and fertilize its own niche among avid digital readers. Not a bad idea considering music went the route of singles and the iTunes store. And with gadgets like the Kindle Fire and Nook, who's to say the reading market won't adapt just as easily as music has? Smart.

Kindlefire

January 31, 2012

WIKILEAKS TV SERIES

Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange, has announced plans for an upcoming television series. The show will focus on thinkers, revolutionaries and and political players from around the world. Its premise, according to the bold activist, is to create dialogue about the future and where the world is headed. Here's some of what the official press release details for the show:

Assange will draw together controversial voices from across the political spectrum – iconoclasts, visionaries and power insiders – each to offer a window on the world tomorrow and their ideas on how to secure a brighter future. 

Assange

January 24, 2012

THE SOCIAL BOWL

The social media experts over at Soshable are expecting tons of Twitter and Facebook use during the upcoming Super Bowl XLVI. So much that they actually wrote up a piece about how connection providers like Verizon are lacing Lucas Oil Field with an extra-heavy arsenal to support 3G, 4G, and WiFi. And then there's all the social media blasts and analytics that are going to be handled by digital marketing companies like Raidious--a great case study on what will most certainly be one of the most data-heavy events of the year. Hence the name, The Social Bowl.

Social

January 20, 2012

ANONYMOUS DEFENDS MEGAUPLOAD

Hacker group Anonymous sprang into action yesterday afternoon by causing havoc and taking down a slew of targeted websites including the U.S. Department Of Justice, U.S. Copyright Office, Recording Industry Association Of America (RIAA), Motion Picture Association Of America (MPAA) and Universal Music Group. The move comes in response to the recent indictment of download website, Megaupload. Authorities argue that the site was once the 13th most-visited website on the internet and responsible for the distribution of loads of pirated television shows, software and games. All this comes in light of the recent Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA) currently making their rounds among U.S. lawmakers.

Anon

Mega

January 18, 2012

CRAIGSLIST THE MUSICAL

CBC broadcaster Bill Richardson and singer/songwriter Veda Hille are the culprits behind the quirky new musical, Do You Want What I Have Got? A Craigslist Cantata. The show is a musical parody based largely on Craigslist want-ads and the theme of humanity in the age of social networking and exchange. It will make its big debut at this year's PuSh International Performing Arts Festival in Vancouver, Canada. Expect lots of laughs and weirdness like irregular cat hats, mounted lobsters, and a slew of other want-ad mentions.

Craigslist

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The República Update is a lifestyle destination that delivers quality and relevant information to its community of readers. We cover events, pop culture, branding, trends, technology, the arts and social issues from a multicultural perspective.